SHILLONG: It was a red letter day for Meghalaya on Friday when Gary Jarman Lamare etched his name in the State’s history by becoming the first man from Meghalaya to conquer Mount Everest.
The local hero who was commissioned as a camera person by Discovery Channel set his foot atop Everest (8848 m above mean sea level) at around 5.30 am on Friday morning.
Gary was part of a 22-member team of the Indian Army Adventure Wing under team leader Col Ajay Kothiyal, an ace mountaineer. The team consisted of one male officer, four women officers, three NCOs, besides one JCO, who scaled the highest mountain in the world without the use of oxygen cylinders.
When contacted, Gary said that he still cannot believe that he has really managed to conquer Mount Everest.
“I have no words to express my joy and happiness. I am feeling on top of the world,” he said.
Notably over 400 people have made the attempt this year with several successful attempts. 10 people have been confirmed dead in various accidents on the peak.
Gary had earlier created the record for being the first civilian from India to scale Mt. Cho Oyu, China, the 6th highest mountain in the world at 8201 m on May 24, 2006 along with 12 mountaineers of the Indian Army Adventure Wing.
He had also accompanied the Army team as a High Altitude Cameraman on an attempt to scale Mt. Kanchenjunga – the third highest mountain peak in the world – during the post monsoon period of 2004. The attempt, however, had to be abandoned due to inclement weather. Gary had climbed 7600 m in that attempt. Last year in June, he had successfully scaled Stok Kangu (6140 m) in Ladakh.
A product of All Saints’ Diocesan HSS and St. Edmund’s College, Shillong, Gary is a master scuba diving instructor with a PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) certification. He owns Goa Diving which operates out of Bogmalo Beach, Goa and also co owns Pioneer Adventure Tours that operates in Shnong Pdeng village, Dawki along with his brother Jason Jarman Lamare and cousin David Ingty.
Gary is the son of Peter Jarman Lamare and Jyotsna Lamare (nee Sohtun), residents of Lower Lachaumiere, Shillong.